“I want a book to give to students who are willing to give Christianity a look but don’t want to be told they’re wrong, or stupid.”
“I want a book to give to a thoughtful 15-year-old that answers some of his questions about Christianity in a way that doesn’t patronise him, but doesn’t assume he’s about to get A*s in his GCSEs.”
“I know some of my young adult/student/older teen group are struggling with some big questions about faith, and I wish there were something they could read that would encourage them to keep trusting Christ.”
What book would you give these people?
We haven’t known how to answer these questions. Which is why we’re thrilled that Tricky has been written. Yes, we’re biased (we’re the publisher). But Becky Pippert, Rico Tice, Glen Scrivener, Nick McDonald and Jonty Allcock aren’t biased, and they’re excited about it, too.... continue reading
Here’s another sample story from our new release Play through the Bible, introducing pre-schoolers to Jesus through Luke’s Gospel. It is followed by a selection of the play activities included in the book. Each story is supported by a wide range of activities - some very short and simple, some needing props or play equipment, and some very, very messy!
This story is from Luke 5:1-11.
Link:
Lots of people came to Jesus because they knew he could make them feel better. Even more people came to Jesus because they loved to hear him tell them all about God! In today's story Jesus has borrowed a boat. Jesus is sitting in the boat telling lots and lots of people all about God.... continue reading
This week we will be looking at some extracts from a new book for parents with pre-schoolers. It follows on from the very popular Bake through the Bible. Alice Buckley, mum of three and author of Play through the Bible, explains the need for a book like this.
Life with pre-schoolers is exhausting. It’s lovely, and funny, and brilliant too, but oh, it’s exhausting!
We’re trying to teach them to count to five, teach them to use the potty, teach them to please stop drawing on their hands. Sometimes teaching our kids about Jesus feels like one more thing on a never-ending list.
I wrote this book for tired, busy parents.
I wrote this book for parents who want their kids to know Jesus but find it hard to teach them about him.
I wrote this book for parents who know it’s their job to introduce their children to Jesus but have no idea where to start.
I wrote this book for parents who want new ideas for their family Bible times or want something that complements what they are already doing.
In Play through the Bible you will find 20 stories about Jesus with simple words and easy suggestions for making storytime memorable for your whole family.
There are also lots of play ideas to help reinforce the message of the story, offer natural opportunities to talk about Jesus, and above all have fun as you get to know Jesus.
What do you get if you combine two of a child's favourite things - stickers and Christmas? The answer is The Christmas Promise Advent Calendar. This A3 calendar features a stunning full-colour scene by Catalina Echeverri, but with lots of the elements missing.
Each day there's a sticker to add to build up the scene until Christmas Day, when the baby Jesus is placed in the manger. But this calendar makes it clear that Jesus isn't just a cute baby. The story on the back shows how Jesus is the King God promised to send his people - a NEW King; a RESCUER King; a FOREVER King!
The Advent Calendar can be used on its own, or alongside the new children's storybook, The Christmas Promise.
And here's one more peak at our latest graphic novel, Light in the Darkness.
Using the words of Luke, and the images of talented illustrator, Alex Webb-Peploe, Light in the Darkness brings the Christmas story to life.
Pre-order HERE.
Here's a sneak preview of our great new graphic novel, Light in the Darkness. To pre-order your copy, click this link: Light in the Darkness
"Christmas is just for children."
You often hear this said by bored teenagers and adults as they move beyond the Disney-fied storybook versions of the first Christmas that fill our bookshops at this time of year.
But of course it is not. Each year we apply ourselves as a creative team to thinking how we can keep the Christmas story fresh for those beyond the childhood years. This year we have been thrilled as we have worked on the "prequel" to The Third Day - our graphic-novel style realisation of Luke 22-24.
Light in the Darkness has the same gritty, contemporary feel that is so far removed from the graphic versions of the Bible already available. This resource will introduce the biblical account of the first Christmas to a new audience in a fresh way, powerfully capturing the joy, pain and emotion of Luke 1 and 2.
The depths of what Luke records for us in these chapters has come across to us in a powerful way as we have thought our way through them, working out how to illustrate them. The pain of childlessness for Elizabeth and Zechariah; the bewilderment and confusion over the angelic messages; the joy and happiness over the children; and the theologically rich songs that are sung throughout.
We're just putting the final brushstrokes to the colour but look out for this stunning new resource when it appears in early November.
This is an extract from the recently published Engaging with Hindus.
I was born in India but when I was eighteen, I went to Kenya to be married. In 1966 the whole family left Kenya and came to Britain. We found it very difficult coming to a strange country and adjusting to the different lifestyle.
I was a practising Hindu but was finding that Hinduism did not satisfy me. I started searching for an answer to my difficulties. One day I shouted out to God: “Please come and help me”.
Shortly afterwards, a friend suggested I try the Radha Soamis (a popular spiritual path led by Gurinder Singh Dhillon). My whole family went to their headquarters at Beas in the Indian Punjab. I took an oath not to eat meat or eggs. The Master gave me a mantra on which to meditate. I repeated it daily for two and a half hours but still didn’t have peace and security. Then I began to think: “I became a Radha Soami to receive peace. If I haven’t got it, I have been cheated.” I asked God: “I do all the correct things. Why haven’t I got peace?”... continue reading
This is an extract from the recently published Engaging with Hindus.
What is our aim as we engage further with our Hindu friends? Is it to find common ground and ways of living together in our divided society? Is it to persuade them to change their religion and be converted? Here are some suggested goals:
To seek to know the true and living God along with our Hindu friends which includes respecting their search for God and sharing with them our experience of God, so that they will also experience God’s love, grace, peace, forgiveness and justice shown to us all in the Lord Jesus Christ.
This combination of receiving (learning about, and respecting their search for God) and giving (sharing what we have experienced) reflects the example of Jesus himself. He condemned false religion, pride and selfishness. But he commended the faith of outsiders like Roman soldiers and Gentile women as they were drawn to him (see Matthew 8 v 5-13; 15 v 21-28). At the same time he invited them to focus their faith still further on him, so that through him they would find their place in the “kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8 v 11). His life, teaching, death and resurrection opened the way to eternal life, under God’s perfect rule.... continue reading
